Wood grain door backer



April 30, 1963 G. T. MURPHY 3,087,536

WOOD GRAIN DOOR BACKER Filed Jan- 24, 1.955` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fil J7 JJ@ G'emjge TN April 30, 1963 G. T. MURPHY 3,087,535

woon GRAIN DooR BACKER Filed Jan. 24, 1955 2 Sheng-Sheet 2 fig-'6 United States Patent OF 3,087,536 WOOD GRAIN DOOR BACKER George T. Murphy, Melrose Park, Ill., assignor, by mesue assignments, to `lohn W. Hill, Round Lake, Ill. Filed Jan. 24, 1955, Ser. No. 483,532 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-89) This invention relates generally to closure structures for railway cars and the like, and more particularly to a novel car door backer construction for conventional forms of wood grain car doors.

The present invention is directed to a closure construction lfor use with good grain car doors, such as described in pamphlet No. .36, Rules Regulating the Safe Loading of Bulk Gra-in in Closed Cars and Protection of Equipment, prepared and published by Association of American Railroads (issued April l925revised July 1950). This pamphlet is published by the Freight Loading & Container Section, 59 E. Van Buren Street, Chicago 5, Illinois.

Prior to this invention, in the coopering of cars for grain loading, it was conventional practice to use a single tier of three or more fabricated gr-ain door sections applied to the grain car door opening. Twisted Calking paper was appl-led to the door posts for the height to which the grain doors were to 'be applied and twisted Calking paper was also applied to the lower edge of the bottom section of the tier of the grain car door sections. The pref-abricated wood grain door sections, which were nominally substantially seven feet long and twenty inches wide, were made of two courses of full length lumber laid lengthwise and closed edge to edge with one six-inch batten at each end on one side, one-half inch shorter than the width of the door, the one-half inch being divided at each end of the hatten. The thickness of the lumber was to be uniform in each door and not less than 25/32 inch no more than one inch in any widths of four inches or more. Certain of the sections could be fabricated ten inches wide in this manner. An alternate length of seven feet, six inches instead of seven feet, and widths of eighteen inches and eight inches instead of widths of twenty inches and ten inches are lacceptable as alternate dimensions. Wood grain doors fabricated as briefly described above and as particularly set out in the aboveidentified rules were erected a section at a time for the particular tier until the required height was reached. `Calking paper was applied between cracks at each end of the second and third doors, and two twelvepenny (SMN) nails were used for securing the grain door at each end to the door posts. Calking paper m-ay be applied in the joints betweeen successive doors. Grain door reinforcements for loads under 80,000 pounds were one inch by eight inch reinforcement boards over the joints between the grain door sections. With grain door reinforcements for carloadings over 80,000 pounds, -a second tier was required starting with a grain door section with successive applied Isections of 20 inch reinforcing doors over the joints between the first and second, and second and third grain door sections of the first tier. A one-inch by six inch board was applied to all joints above the first and second joints. It was also conventional practice to provide a grain door reinforcement of -a one inch by six inch hardwood upright nailed to the outer face of the first tier of grain door sections, and this Was h'eld in place by a one inch by inch cleat at the bottom and nailed to the grain car floor.

The earlier grain car door sections fabricated as described above, because of the increased cost of wood, represent a very expensive item in the cost of coopering a car. However, they are reusable but the cost of returning these to the place of initial use represents a large item in dun- 3,087,536 Patented Apr. 30, 1963 ice nage to a railroad together with :loss of revenue while these are being returned. The normal life, however, is rather long 'but as they are used over a period of years the edges do not properly abut, and longer time is used in Calking and sealing the cracks in grain ca-r doors fabricated in this manner. In addition, as the grain car doors usually canry .amounts of grain over 80,000 pounds, extra sections lof these are needed to seal the joints between successive sections of the lirst tier so that actually there is a large amount of money tied up in inventory and replacements on this form of grain door construction.

The present invention has among its objects the production of ya sheet of material to use as a backen, for `grain door constructions of the type described above in which it will not be necessary to calk the bottom edge and door posts as the grain door sections are applied, thus making an extensive saving in the cost of this calking material and by further redncing the cost of erecting the grain car door sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide this irnproved form of wood door backer construction to only a. single tier of wood grain car door sections, thus reducing the need of using additional sections for reinforcing a grain car door construction, whether it is constructed for loads under 80,000 pounds or for loads over 80,000 pounds. x

A still further object of the invention is to reduce the requirement for a vertical upright applied to the outside face of the grain door for reinforcing.

Still another object of the invention is to apply a wood grain car door backer construction in accordance with this invent-ion, so that there is no shifting in transit of the sections of the wood grain car door construction such as to cause leakage of the grain or other bulk commodities as chemicals and miner-als while in transit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wood grain door backer material manufactured from reinforced paper having an intermediate layer of a Fiberglas scrim to provide suflicient strength to replace the previous use of wood grain door sections and other reinforcing members used in the construction of wood grain doors and, at the same time, provide Imaterial which readily resists puncturing by bulk commodities such as grain, malt, chemical and mineral materials, etc., normally shipped in bulk.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wood car door hacker construction of this type in combination with conventional wood car door sections for reinforcing and sealing the `doorways of a railway -car carrying bulk material in transit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a backer construction formed from relatively flexible laminated sheet material, comprising a pair of outer plies .and an inner ply of interwoven strands of yglass fiber, and adapted to be secured contiguous its side edges to the door posts of a doorway of a freight car or other vehicle used in the transfer of bulk and packaged commodities.

Still -another object of the invention is to provide a pair of relatively rigid strips for each end of said car door backer construction about which the respective side edge portions of the car `door hacker construction are wrapped, together with means for securing the sheet or sheets forming the car door backer construction to their respective side strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car door hacker structure to permit the rolling thereof upon a rigid strip for the end of said structure to reduce or increase the effective width of the car door backer sheet or strip structure to permit the rigid strips to be operatively -secured to doorways of lesser or greater width.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car door backer construction from sheet material, which may be applied by overlapping either horizontally or vertically with respect to the sections forming the car door structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a car door backer construction from flexible sheet material which may `be applied to a car door section, and upon erection of .the car door sections with the backer material 'applied thereto `will overlap and seal to edges ibetween continuously applied car door sections, or seal the joint between an edge of a car door section and the car iioor which it abuts.

Still another object of the invention is to form a car door backer or flexible laminated sheet material either in large sheets corresponding to the height yand width of the completed car door structure, or which may be applied in strips horizontally or vertically to seal and rein- Iforce a car door structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved `form of sheet-like material for fabricating exible sealing and reinforcing structures for use with car door structures for railway car door openings or other bulk loading openings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car door backer structure which is disposable and is substantially injury proof to personnel handling and erecting the car -door Abacker structure to car doors.

Still another object is to provide car door backer constructions which reduce dunnage since it is not necessary to rely on heavy car door sections used for reinforcing and sealing means and the like.

A still further object is to provide a car doorsealing and reinforcing means for car door closures which perimits the railway car to be readily opened, and after the door is opened to provide quick unloading since the car door structure and its reinforcing and sealing means may be readily disassembled.

Still another object of the invetion improved form of car door space since it may be readily packaged so that a standard crate will provide car door backers to cooper a large number of railway cars 4and the like vehicles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a car door backer construction which may be readily fitted to any standard railway car door and applied over any conventional wood car Idoor sections, and also which is simple to apply with ordinary hammer and nails.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a car door backer construction to prevent contamination of edible comestibles by any contamination from doors exposed previously to contaminated materials, and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved car door backer construction which is economical to manufacture, economical to apply, and which may be used and finally economically disposed of.

A particular feature of the invention is to provide a car door backer structure or strip, or exible sealing and reinforcing structure for car door structures for railway car doors and the like fabricated from one or more sheets of either laminated sheet material with an intermediate Fiberglas scrim or from sheets felted from a paper furnish or slurry simultaneously on opposite sides of a Fiberglas scrim sheet.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a car door backer sheet or strip for a car door section of a railway car door formed either as a single sheet or from several strips to permit the detachment of the car door backer strip for unloading of the railway car, and in which the car door backer sheets or strips are preferably mounted horizontally or vertically and overlapping or abutting, depending upon the weight and characteristics of the load.

Still another feature of the invention is to provide an improved carloading backer strip for use with conventional forms of wood car door sections which may be formed from one or more strips of reinforced paper or is to provide an backer Which saves storage the like material, depending upon the load of the packaged or bulk commodity retained by the carloading backer strip in combination with conventional wood car door sections.

In accomplishing the various objects and features of my invention, it is preferred to use a material for the car door backer strip or sheet of the type such as disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of John M. Gerrard et al., Serial No. 350,544, filed April 23, 1953, for Grain Door for Railway Car, now United States Patent No. 2,803,299, dated August 20, 1957, and also an improved form of material which is felted from a suitable high strength paper furnish or slurry directly to both sides of a scrim of glass fibers having longitudinally and transversely extending strands of glass fibers. Either of these high strength papers is cut to the preferred size for the car door backer strip or sheet or grain door or other bulk car door structures, and have the opposite ends wrapped about a suitable reinforcing member, one end of which may be affixed to the door post of the car door opening; and, if the material is used for applying directly to wood car door sections, the material forming the backer strip or sheet may be applied directly to a face of the car door section by adhering with a suitable adhesive, tacking, or other suitable securing means with the ends of the strip suitably wrapped about a reinforcing strip which may then be applied to the door post upon erection of the wood car door sections across the doorway of a railway car in order that the joints between the sections are sealed and the car door sections reinforced upon being erected in place.

It is also within `the scope of the invention that the car door backer sheet with suitable vertical reinforced edges may be applied as a large sheet to car door sections already erected in place to provide a seal between the horizontal joints between sections, and to reinforce the applied sections because of the lateral thrust of the bulk material, and also to prevent longitudinal movement of the car door sections while in transit caused by the movement of the car body because of the stresses applied to the railway car in transit and in switching, etc.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To -this end, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIG. l is a perspective View of the inside of a grain car or the like car used for shipment of bulk material, illustrating the car door backer construction of my invention applied to and in combination with a car door closure formed from car door sections successively applied and afixed to door posts of a car door opening with the joints of the car door closure structure being sealed, and the car door closure being reinforced by the car door backer construction;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a car door backer construction applied to car door closures for opposite openings of a railway car;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating the fixed reinforced edge of the car door backer construc tion applied to a car door post for vertically sealing and. reinforcing the vertical edge of a car door structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating the adjustable vertical reinforced edge of a car door backer construction applied to a door post of a railway car door;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partly in cross section from the interior of a railway car, illustrating the method of applying a car door backer construction to conventional car door sections;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical elevation of a car door backer sheet, illustrating the inside and outside fold lines prior to assembly to the edge reinforcing means;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view, illustrating a car door reinforcing sheet with the flat portions folded for sealing;

FIG. 8 is a vertical view of a modiiied form of car door backer sheet from that of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view in elevation, illustrating the horizontal and vertical fold lines for a car door backer strip and/or diiferent heights of car door closures;

FIG. l() is a view in perspective from the inside of a railway car, illustrating a modified form of car door backer strip applied to car door sections;

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view, illustrating another form of applicattion of a car door hacker strip to car door sections;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view from the interior of a railway car, illustrating another method of application of car door backer strips to railway car door sections;

FIG. 13 is a portion of a car door backer strip, illustrating the reinforcing Fiberglas scrim laminated between opposite sheets to form the car door backer strip; and

FIG. 14 is an improved form of car door hacker strip material in which the paper slurry forms the sheet-like material and is felted to opposite sides of a reinforcing Fiberglas scrim sheet.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, a preferred form of Wood car door backer construction will be described. A conventional railway car construction has opposite doorways 11 and 12 adapted to be closed by doors 13 and 14. With this construction as used with conventional wood grain doors, it is permissible to unload the car from either side though usually one door is nominally designated through which the loading and unloading takes place, after which the sliding car door will be closed upon completion of the loading.

In coopering a railway car using the grain door hacker construction for overlying conventional wood grain door sections to equalize the pressure on the wood door sections and prevent bulging thereof as well as effectively sealing the joints between the sections, grain door sections 15 which may be either new sections or those which have been salvaged for reuse are nailed to door jambs 16 and 17 of both doorways, or the construction may be erected rst to one doorway and after this doorway has been completely coopered, the applicator may complete the coopering of the opposite doorway. If the wood grain door sections are salvaged ones, sound doors should be selected which are free from protruding nails before erection. These wood grain door sections are nominally seven feet long, twenty inches and ten inches wide, made of two courses 18 and 19 of full length lumber, laid lengthwise, and close edge to edge, with one six inch batten 18a at each end of one side, one-half inch shorter than the width of the door, the half inch divided at each end of the batten. The thickness of the lumber is to be uniform in each door, preferably not less than 25/,452 inch, nor more than one inch in any widths of four inches or more. A length of seven feet six inches instead of seven feet, and widths of eighteen inches and eight inches instead of widths of twenty inches and ten inches are acceptable as alternate dimensions. Prior to my invention, it was acceptable practice to calk the cracks with calking paper such as disclosed in the above-mentioned Rules Regulating the Safe Loading of Bulk Grain in Closed Cars and Protection of Equipment. With the sheet-like grain wood door backer 20 used in combination with conventional forms of wood grain door sections, it is not necessary to calk the cracks to the lower edge of the bottom door or to apply the twisted calking paper to the door posts for the height to which the grain doors are to be applied, or to apply calking paper between cracks at each end of the doors between the cracks therebetween. With this improved backer construction 20, it is also not necessary to apply grain door reinforcement with loads over 80,000 pounds in which the reinforcement is formed by a second course of similarly formed reinforcing doors 15. For example, prior to this invention, it has been c-ommon practice to use a ten inch grain door to begin the second course with successive doors placed over the cracks between the rst and second, and second and third doors. A one inch by six inch board is then usually applied to all joints above the first and second joints. It has also been customary to provide an outside grain door reinforcement in the form of a one inch by six inch hardwood board nailed to the wood grain doors intermediate the door posts, which is suitably cleated in place by a one inch by four inch cleat nailed to the car door oor 21. The outside grain door reinforcement serves to prevent excessive bowing of the doors under lateral pressure of the load of the bulk ma` terial being shipped in transit. With the improved construction of this invention, the sheet-like wood grain door backer construction serves to eliminate the requirementl for calking of the joints between the sections, the need of reinforcement for the doors, the sheet-like grain door backer construction acting to equalize the pressure on the wood grain door, preventing bulging, properly sealing the joints between the section of the wood grain door, and also at the edge joints between the grain door sections and the grain door posts. The grain door hacker construction has an additional advantage over the prior art construction in that it also prevents longitudinal displacement of the wood grain door sections and the opening up of the joints brought about by the stopping of the cars in transit, and the stresses caused in shifting the cars in a freight classifying yard, etc.

The succeeding courses of grain doors as in the past are applied tightly against the bottom door and door posts, but instead of being calked are simply erected by securing the successive courses with two twelvepenny nails 22 in each end of the successive grain doors l15 as they are erected in place. The grain door courses are applied to the height desired for the load of bulk material to be shipped, the height depending upon whether it is grain such as wheat or other cereal, malt, chemical, or other form of bulk minera-l material. Usually, the height is substantially six feet though in some instances the car doors are erected to a height of eight feet, leaving only suicient clearance for workmen to leave the car interior after completing the coopering. Grain doors are usually applied higher than the grain in the car will level, allowing a minimum of six inches between the top of the ioad and the top of the grain doors. The loader of the bulk material is usually required to trim the material to prevent spillage over the doors because of shifting of the load during transit and to insure proper distribution, and to determine whether the height of the buik material will require additional courses. The reinforced sheetlike car door backer construction 20 is then applied.

The reinforced lhacker str-ip construction may be formed inem `a single fabricated -sheet though if it is necessary provide greater reinforcement, it is also within the scope of the invention that the reinforced sheet 20 may be formed by two or more sheets, depend-ing upon the stresses to be resisted. For most purposes, however, a .single laminated sheet fabricated as will be described more particularly later Iis fall that is usually necessary. it is, therefore, to -be considered within the scope of the invention that the number of plies used depends upon the lateral force of the buik commodities set up in transit for the lateral force of the bulk commodities to be restrained at the doorway of a railway car or the like vehicle iused for transporting bulk materials of the nature described above. As the width of railway car doors varies from six feet to eight feet, it is preferred to fabricate the length of the sheet 20 such that one size will do for the various widths of car door openings. However, if necessary, the length of the sheets may be adjusted to take a certain range of door sizes, and .another size of backer sheet may be utilized for the balance of the range of car door widths.

In order to wrap the grain door backer 20 at the ends for securing the ends of the backer sheet Ito the door posts or jambs, la one-eighth inch by two inch, substantially sixty-four inch long nailing strip 23 is utilized, about which the ends of the strip are wrapped, as illustrated in FIGS. l through 4. Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is illustrated the preferred manner of wrapping a fixed end 24 and its opposite adjustable end 25. It is preferred for the fixed end 24 to have a minimum of at least three plies of the sheet or sheets wrapped as shown `in lFIG. 3 .in cross section about the nailing stnp 23. After being wrapped in this manner, t-he plies are affixed by staples 26, as illustrated in FIGS. l and 3, a sufficient number of staples being used to prevent the unwrapping of the plies from the nailing stip. The opposite adjustable edge 2S of the backer sheet 20, depending upon the number of plies being used, is also similarly wrapped about another plywood nailing strip 23. The number of plies wrapped about the yadjustable end is also preferably three, as illustrated -in FIG. 4, but may be a larger number, `depending upon whether the length of the backer sheet lis made for a particular door width or `to lit one or more door widths. The plies abutting the face of the nailing strip 23, FIG. 4, is also suitably stapled by staples 27. When stapled in this manner, the extended portions of the adjustable end of the backer sheet may be rolled or unrolled upon the nailing strip 23.

It is customary to prefabricate the fixed and adjustable ends of the backer sheet in place, after which the backer sheet is rolled upon itself with the adjustable end 25 at the axis of the roll and with the fixed end of the backer sheet outside of the roll. This permits a more compact manner of shipping since la number of the backer sheets may be crated sufliciently to cooper several railway cars. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that rolls of this sheet-like material necessary .for fabricating the backer sheet may be supplied rat ya common coopering point together wit-h the nailing strips, and the nailing strips and sheets applied as the backer sheet is erected. However, it -is more economical to provide the completely fabricated reinforced backer sheets so that they may be conveniently erected in place during the icoopering operation with a minimum of time.

The car door backer construction is erected as illus- -trated Iin FIG. by first erecting the fixed edge 24, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, by random nailing with suitable nails 28 or other form of securing means such as staples applied with a stapling machine and the like. 'I'he rolled back sheet, FIG. 5, is then unrolled across the previously .applied successive courses of grain doors until the adjustable end 2'5 is reached. The adjustable end 25 may be wrapped or unwrapped to adjust the car door backer strip to the grain door sections over which it is applied. If the backer sheet is made for multiple widths of car doorways, the adjustable end is then unwrapped to the point at which the proper width .of the doorway is had, and the car door backer construction is then random nailed in position by nails 28, FIGS. yf1 and 4. As the backer strip is unrolled, a four inch floor ap 29 is simultaneously unrolled as part of the rolled backer construction, the `amount of fold being determined by a fold line 30, which may be formed as the sheet is being cut to size by `a slight longitudinal length to indicate the point at which the fold takes place. The floor flap 29 may be tacked in placed by tacks 3-1, staples, or other forms of securing means. It is thus apparent that a very effective seal is formed Iby 4the juncture of the floor flap with the vertical portion of the backer sheet to seal any opening caused -by the bottom edge of the first course 15 at `its juncture with the board forming the rough car floor 21. Likewise, ian effective seal is formed by the vertical portion of the ybacker sheet across the longitudinal joints between the successive courses of the grain door sections 15. When the backer sheet is used additionally to prevent contamination, the sheet is applied for the full height of the door Referring to FIG. l, there is illustrated a wood door backer construction which is applied to a vertical height of substantially sixty-four inches and normally reaches to a height of three grain door sections, twenty inches high, and provides a four inch overlap above the third joint between the third and fourth course of grain door sections. There is also illustrated in FIG. 5 a smaller height grain door construction in which a wood door backer sheet is applied substantially forty-four inches high, which in turn provides a substantially four inch overlap of the joint between the second and third courses. If desired, a oneeighth inch by one and one-half inch batten strip 32 may be applied to the upper edge of either the larger wood door backer construction, as illustrated in FIG. l, or to the smaller wood door backer construction 20', as illustrated in FIG. 5. When applying this batten strip, the upper edge of the sheet 20 may be folded over the batten strip and secured in place across the edge by taking or aflixing with other suitable securing means to the upper cour-se, which is contiguous to the upper edge of the wood door backer construction, depending upon whether it is the larger or smaller door. It is also to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention that the upper edge may be random tacked across its edge to effectively seal the upper edge so that bulk material which might spill over the edge will not pass between the inner face of the courses of the grain door construction and the outer face of the backer sheet.

It is also within the scope of the invention that this upper edge may be suitably affixed by applying a suitable adhesive material, lsuch as a paste or liquid glue, and the like, to effectively seal the upper edge. The bottom flap 29 may also be suitably affixed by applying a suitable adhesive to adhere the ap to the railway car floor. However, since it is also desired to reuse the wood door backer construction wherever feasible, it is preferably desired to apply by suitably nailing so that the nails may be easily pulled rather than by applying an adhesive which would tend to destroy the backer sheet as it is removed from the floor and the wood cars contiguous to its upper edge to permit reuse of the wood grain doors.

It is also within the scope of the invention that the fixed end adjustable edges of the backer sheet may be adhered by a suitable adhesive to the door posts, though it is preferred to nail to permit reuse, if possible, of this construction.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, there is illustrated the preferred manner in which it is desired to fabricate the grain door backer sheet prior to assembling it to the nailing strips. FIG. 6 illustrates a backer sheet 20 which has a fold line 30 to provide a ap 29 as described with reference to FIG. 1, to seal the juncture between the bottom grain door backer and the car floor. Flaps 33 may be used to form a seal between the bottom edges of the fixed and adjustable ends 24 and 25 to prevent any leakage therebetween and the car iioor. In forming the fold line 30 the sheet is slightly scored and the flaps 30 are formed by slitting the flap 29 at 34 to the fold line. It is preferred `to form a sheet fabricated in this manner substantially forty-eight inches high and one hundred and one inches long. The flap 29 is preferably substantially seventy-two inches long to conform to the door width with each of the side flaps 33 substantially fourteen and one-half inches long to provide the wrapped portions of the fixed and adjustable ends of the grain door backer sheet. If desired, the flaps 33 may be formed on lthe job by suitably slitting with a knife or other tool. It is to be understood that the aforementioned sizes are preferably for a wood grain door backer sheet for a conventional six foot car door. For other size car doors the length may be correspondingly adjusted. However, for the usual doors, this size sheet with the adjustment provided at the ends is satisfactory. A grain door backer sheet constructed in this manner is preferably used for a grain door formed with three courses with four inches being used up in the bottom flap 29, and the remaining height covering two courses of conventional twenty inch high grain door. This provides a four inch overlap to cover the joint between the second and third courses.

FIG. 7 illustrates the sheet 20' folded in the preferred manner when erected with the flap 29 extending toward the car interior and with the iiaps 33 folded outwardly to form the seal at the bottom edge-s of the fixed and adjustable ends 24 and 25. It is also to be understood that in wrapping the extended portions 35 and 36 forming the right and left flap portions, the flaps 33 may take a different shape than schematically illustrated. Referring to FIG. S, there is illustrated a modified grain door backer sheet similar to that 4illustrated in FIG. 6 in which the flaps 33 have been cut out either at the factory or in the field, leaving a bottom'ilap 29 and a top iiap 29. Corresponding fold lines 30 and 30 are formed by scoring the sheet as previously described. The right and left flap portions 35 and 36 are adapted to fold over the strips 23 to form the fixed and adjustable ends 24 and 25, respectively. When fabricated in this manner, it is immaterial which end is erected in place iirst. The scoring 30 and 30 is not suciently deep to prevent tearing at the fold line but only permits ease in folding.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is illustrated schematically a grain door backer sheet a which illustrates the scoring for the floor flap and fold scores for wrapping the ends of the sheet to the nailing strips for the yfixed and adjustable ends of the sheet. In this particular illustration the oor fiap 29 is formed by scoring 30 as previously described. Vertical score lines -37 are provided at each end of the sheet and spaced two inches apart to start the wrap about the two-inch nailing strips 23. This sheet illustrates a backer sheet for a grain door construction, preferably four courses high, each course being twenty inches in height, providing the conventional four inch flap at the bottom and a four inch overlap to cover the joint between the third and fourth courses of the grain door section. If desirable, the grain doors may be normally fabricated to this height, having a mark 38 printed thereon to indicate the height of a forty-eight inch grain door backer strip, and when used in this manner the excess may be either folded under or cut off at this point. However, becau-se of the excess waste, it is preferred to fabricate the backer sheets for the particular height desired.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, there is illustrated two embodiments of the reinforced paper from which it is preferred to fabricate the hacker sheets. The material disclosed herein is also particularly disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 438,026, tiled June 21, 1954, now Patent No. 2,890,749, patented lune 16, 1959, for Carloading Retaining Strip and Lock Therefor. In order to provide a relatively strong yand flexible sheet material which not only provides an effective seal for the joints between the vertical courses of the grain door sections and at the edges and bottom thereof at .the car floor, but also reinforces the car door construction so that it is prevented from shifting longitudinally with respect to the car :door an-d also to limit the outward bulging because of the lateral pressure of the commodity, it is preferred to provide this improved form of hacker sheet from a glass strand reinforced paper. In the embodiment of FIG. 13, it is preferred to use a kraft sheet 40 of substantially one hundred and seventy pounds per ream weight when based on five hundred sheets of paper twenty-four inches by thirty-six inches. The thickness of the paper is preferably 0.023 or 23 point paper. Although it is preferred touse a kraft type paper, the sheet 40 may also be fabricated from other forms of suitable material, such as cellophane or plastic sheets, though it is preferred to use the 23 point plies, or sheets 41 and 42 with an intermediate ply 43 constructed in the form of two series of interwoven strands, having a series of horizontal strands 44 and a series of vertical strands 45. The strands 44 and 45- may be of any suitable material having the desired characteristics, iiexibility, tensile strength, etc., to achieve the ydesired results. In the construction illustrated, the sheets 41 and 42 are secured together by suitable adhesive material 46 as, for example, a combination of asphalt and latex, suitable plastic, and the like. It has been found that very satisfactory results may be obtained by utilizing the construction of the crossed strands 44 and 45. The fabric formed by such interwoven strands is commonly known as scrim and is commercially procurable. This particular form of sheet material is disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of John M. Gerrard et al., Serial No. 350,544, iiled April 23, 1953, for Grain 'Door for Railway Car, now United States Patent No. 2,803,299, dated August 20, 1957, assigned to A. I. Gerrard & Company.

An improved embodiment of this form of material is illustra-ted in FIG. 14, and is made by felting a suitable kraft pulp simultaneously to both sides of a Fiberglas scrim sheet 43y having horizontal Fiberglas strands 44 and vertical Fiberglas strands 45. This sheet 40 is simultaneously felted on the scrim sheet 43 on a suitable Fourdrinier or Oliver felting machine which has been modified so that the felting operation takes place simultaneously on both sides of the glass scrim sheet 43. The width of the felted sheet before trimming is one hundred and two inches, thus making it possible to fabricate the backer sheets longitudinally with respect to the direction of felting, with the overall length of the fabricated sheet corresponding substantially to that of the felted sheet, and the various widths can thus be cut directly from the felted roll or as it leaves the machine before being rolled. This completed sheet material is an improvement over the glass strand reinforced paper fabricated in accordance with the disclosure and claims of the U.S. patent to Crandall 2,653,090, granted September 22, 1952. The scrim sheet 43 may be treated in the same manner as the individual strands of fiber as disclosed in the aforementioned patent to Crandall. It has been found that a glass scrim identified as 15-1/3-2/2 when woven with a fiber spacing of one-half inch for the horizontal and vertical strands makes a preferred form of reinforced paper. The one hundred and seventy pound base for three thousand square feet of paper fabricated in this manner has a scrim weight of substantially thirty-eight pounds with a pulp weight of substantially one hundred and thirty-two pounds. It has been found that -a scrim with the preferred spacing permits the paper fibers to pass through the screen-like scrim to properly embed and intertwine the horizontal and vertical strands of the scrim. It is also to be understood that any arrangement of fiber ends to produce a glass strand of a different number of iibers may be used as is well understood in the art. For example, one hundred and iifty ends may ibe made into strands having multiples thereof, such as three hundred, four hundred and fifty, six hundred, etc., and, in turn, the spacing may be at any preferred conventional spacing when the strands are woven into the scrim sheets. However, it is preferred to use a spacing of substantially one-half inch. It is also within the scope of the invention that horizontal strands 44 may be of greater strength than -the vertical strands 43. The sheets from the felting machines `after they have been felted and calendered may be out to the .required width, for example, forty-eight inches and sixty-eight inches, or any other width for the preferred height required for the grain door hacker sheet for its respective grain door height and length, depending upon the car `door width to which they are to be applied. If the completed sheets are to be used for a grain door backer construction, as illustrated in FIGS. l and 5, through 9, the sheets are then fabricated into the sizes required, depending upon whether the sheets are to be fabricated to extend completely across a doorway or of a predetermined size or of a size to lit a series of doorway open- 1 1 ings. Likewise, it is to be understood that the backer sheets may be fabricated as will be more particularly described with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 10, l1, and 12.

Sheet-like material formed in accordance with the disclosure of the embodiments of FIGS. 13 and 14 is substantially four or live times stronger than standard kraft paper. Usually, a single sheet of either of the embodiments of FIGS. 13 or 14 is suitable for fabricating a backer sheet. However, `as the widths of the door openings increase, or Ithe load -to be retained exerts a greater lateral pressure, it is within the scope of the invention to use multiples of the sheet for fabricating the grain car door backer sheets. For the most part, a maximum -of three sheets may be required, assembled into a backer sheet as illustrated in connection with FIGS. 1 and 9, which may be illustrative of -an eight foot wide door, and the same is also preferably required for grain car doors or the like which have loadings of over 80,000 pounds per car with an eight foot wide doorway, and with the grain car door, likewise, substantially eight feet high. For example, cars loaded with malt sometimes weigh one hundred and twenty-four thousand pounds when loaded to visible capacity of eighteen inches for clearance. When multiple plies are used, the nailing strips are applied in the same manner as described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 5, and are similarly erected as also previously described.

Referring to FIGS. through 12, there are illustrated different embodiments showing various ways in which the reinforced backer sheet or sheets -may be applied to conventional wood grain door sections to seal land reinforce these `constructions either when fabricated originally or `after many periods of reuse. Referring to FIG. l0, there is illustrated a wood grain door construction which is schematically illustrated as erected, two courses in height -by the grain door sections 15. A backer sheet 47 is similarly constructed as the tbacker sheets 20 with a fixed end 24 and an adjustable end 25' fabricated as described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. However, as the previous backer sheets were described as being forty-eight inches or six-ty-eight inches high, depending upon the height of the grain door construction, each of these sheets is preferably fabricated .in Widths of twenty-four inches equal in width to the twenty inch width of the grain door portion plus a four inch ap. In the Itwo course construction as illustrated in FIG. 10, the ap 29' for the first course provides the sealing flap 29 and is tacked with tacks 31 to the car lioor 21. The iiapl 29 of the second course overlies the joint between the two courses 15, and provides .an effective seal. This iiapmay or may not be tacked in place since the lateral pressure of the bulk load would keep the ap in its correct position.

As previously described, the wood grain door courses may be applied at once to the full height, after which the hacker sheet 47 may be applied in its overlapped relationship. If desirable, each course and its respective backer sheet may be `applied as each course is assembled in posi-tion across the car door. The backer sheets 47 have their fixed and adjustable edges 24 :and 25', respectively, random nailed with the nails 28.

Itis :also within the scope of the invention that instead of having the tbacker sheets 47 for each grain door structure 15, the backer sheets 47 may be applied as the door constructions are originally fabricated. When applied in this manner, it is preferred to suitably adhere the face of the backer sheet to the inner face of the car door section 15 with a suitable adhesive. The flaps 35' and 36' may be `assembled into their respective fixed and adjustable ends 24 and 25', or they may be left free to be assembled later into .the required nailing strips as the doors are assembled in place. Although the backer sheets `47 may `be adhered as described above to :the car door sections 15, it is preferable that Ithey be separately fabricated and assembled to obtain as much reuse as posl2 sible even though the backer sheets are preferably considered as being disposable.

FIG. 12 illustrates another manner in which hacker sheets may be applied in which the backer sheets are preferably formed into rolls of an economic width which may be cut from the material as it is being fabricated. For example, certain economical widths of rolls would be thirty-six inches or iifty inches, depending upon the maximum width of the felted sheet as it is fabricated. When used in Ithis manner, rolls of the backer sheet material are delivered where the cars are being coopered and the number of sheets 48 required for each door width are cut from the rolls to Ithe maximum height at which it is desired to erect the vertical strips 48 and including the conventional floor iiap 29a. The erector, as each sheet is erected, correctly lforms a fold line 30a to provide the floor flap. When erected in this manner, the outer vertical backer strips may be fabricated on the job with a fixed end 24a to provide the nailing strip which is formed as described with reference to FIG. 3. It is also within the scope of the invention .that the end may be fabricated as the adjustable end 25 of FIG. 4 so that if more overlapping is required, this can be had by adjusting the 'adjustable end before nailing in place. After the outer vertical strips have been applied, the center strip 48 may be applied as illustrated in FIG. 12 to have suicient lap. The laps may be suitably tacked in place by random tacking with tacks 31, .the same as in tacking the lioor flap 29a. I-t is also Within the scope of the invention that the overlap for sealing may =be adhered in place. It is also within the scope of the invention that each of the three vertical strips may be Iapplied by a suitable adhesive applied to the wood door courses 15, either by applying adhesive over the entire width of the Wood door courses or to certain portions thereof to effectively mount the assembled vertical backer strips. It is also within `the scope of the invention that instead of the strips being `directly cut from the roll, they may be precut with each strip of a predetermined length for a particular car door height, and the number of strips required for each car door width simply packed in a roll for compactness along with ythe respective nailing strips 23 for each end which is to be affixed to the car door posts.

FIG. 11 illustrates a modified form of backer sheet 50 which may be similarly fabricated as described with reference to a modified form of backer sheet 50, which may be similarly fabricated as described with reference to any of the structures illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, 10, and 12, but in which the upper end is so formed as to be of sufficient length to extend over the edge of the top course of the grain door construction, and With the depending edge 51 folded upon itself over a suitable batten strip 52 which is preferably applied as the car door is coopered with the backer sheet to permit the worker to tautly draw the vertical face of the backer sheet over the inner face of the assembled courses of the car door, after which it is stapled or nailed to the outer face of the upper edge of the last course of car door construction. The fixed and adjustable ends 24 and 25 may be applied before the folded-over edge 51 is assembled in place. It is within the scope of the art that the fixed and adjustable ends or the horizontal nailing portion 51 may be erected in order that when completely assembled in place, the backer sheet 50 is substantially taut to prevent longitudinal movement of the `grain car door structure or the outer bowing thereof due to bulk material loaded in the car, and to effectively seal all the joints and cracks of the car door construction and yet not so tight that any movement will tend to tear the hacker sheet to cause leakage and failure of the car door construction.

It is also to be understood that it s within the scope of the invention that each of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 may be `fabricated from sheet like material as particularly described above With respect to the modified forms of sheet material illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 and modifications thereof as particularly disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of George T. Murphy, Serial No. 438,026, iled June 21, 1954, now Patent No. 2,890,749, patented June 16, 1959, for Carloading Retaining Strip and Lock Therefor, and as also disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned co` pending application of John M. Gerrard et al., Serial No. 350,544, tiled April 23, 1953 for Grain Door for Railway Car, now United States Patent No. 2,803,299, dated August 20, 1957.

From the above disclosure, it is evident that there have been disclosed simple forms of car door backer sheets for effectively reinforcing and sealing a car door construction and not requiring the conventional reinforcing steel strapping as of the prior art, and particularly effecting a substantial saving in the number of grain car door sections which were previously used to provide seals for the joints between the courses forming the grain car door construction, and also which were used to provide additional reinforcement to Withstandthe lateral pressure of the bulk material loaded within the car and being retained by the car door construction. A combination construction of new or reused car door sections togeter with the car door backer sheet vformed from reinforced kraft paper construction, having an intermediate layer of high strength glass fiber scrim sheets, provides substantially the same strength across a car doorway as the early prior art multiple layer constructions of wood grain door. In addition, the improved forms of grain door backer sheets, although primar-ily developed to be disposable, may also be reused several times if the grain door constructions are carefully removed. The scrim sheets forming the intermediate layer of the reinforced grain door backer sheets can be made in any conventional weave in which the horizontally and longitudinally extending strands of glass fiber may be spaced, in any conventional spacing, and in which the strands may be formed of any number of liber ends in the manner well known in the art. Although a one hundred and seventy pound sheet was disclosed as being preferred, it is also within the scope of the invention that sheets of one hundred and twenty pound basis weight two by two ber, or one hundred and sixty pound weight two by two glass fiber strands may be used with the -spacing preferably of the fiber strands being substantially one-half inch in either direction. It is also possible to use other combinations of sheets other than described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, wherein one sheet may be formed from kraft paper to which is laminated a scrim sheet, the opposite surface being a cellophane sheet. Also any combinations from one of more sheets may be arranged to produce the required strength, depending upon the load, and this use of multiple sheets is equally permissible not only with the grain door backer construction as described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 5, but is equally adaptable for the constructions described with reference to FIGS. 10, 1l, and 12, and the sheets may be prefabricated as described with reference to FIGS. 6 through 9 when it is desired to use multiple sheets rather than a single `sheet for bulk car loadings in which the weight is over 80,000 pounds, and the widths of the grain car door and the heights thereof are greater than six feet.

There has also been disclosed preferred forms of backer sheet constructions Afor the loading of Ibulk materials, such as chemicals, cereals, and minerals, for various heights of car door constructions in which the fixed and adjustable ends may be Prefabricated and the grain door backer sheets suitably packaged to be delivered at stations where the cars are to be coopered; and there have also been disclosed modifications in which the backer sheets are assembled at the time iof fabrication of the grain car door constructions and aiiixed together to be shipped as individual units. Likewise, there have been illustrated methods of erecting the reinforced backer sheets either as 14 Y individual sheets covering the complete car door opening or portions thereof as required; and also there has been disclosed erection of grain car door backer sheets as overlapped horizonal strips or as vertical strips. There has also been disclosed the fabrication of the grain door backer sheets as individual sheets, separate strips for horizontal or vertical assembly, or as rolled material which may be delivered on the job and fabricated in position as the car is coopered.

There has also been disclosed a simple form of backer sheet construction for edge-sealing the vertical joints between the ends of the vertical courses of the cut grain door constructions and the door posts to which they are aiiixed and the horizontal joints between the car oor and the first course and the successive courses of the wood grain door construction.

The grain door backer or sheet-like backer constructions and combinations with the wood grain door sections are economical, simple to fabricate and to erect with conventional tools used in coopering a car, and are not only competitive but more economical than the use of multiple courses of wood car door sections requiring only a single layer of the vertically erected courses required to complete a car door height.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a grain car door opening including door posts therefor, of successive conventional wood grain car door sections fabricated in accordance to standard specification and abutted together and against the car iioor and aiiixed to the door posts, a wood grain door backer construction overlying the inner face of at least one of said car door sections, comprising a reinforced sheet-like member including outer plies and an inner ply of crossed strands of glass fiber integrally formed together and having the side edges thereof affixed -to the car door posts contiguous to the side edges of the car door sections for sealing the vertical joints between the car door sections and `the door posts, and preventing longitudinal movement of the grain door sections and also reinforcing the car door sections against the lateral thrust of the bulk material stored within the car, a longitudinally extending flap extending laterally with respect to the joint between the bottom car door section and the car floor and affixed to the car floor for sealing the floor joint, and said vertical edges of the reinforced sheet-like member including a vertical reinforcing member about which each edge of the reinforced sheet-like member is wrapped, one edge thereof forming a fixed end for aiiixing the backer sheet to the door post, and the other edge thereof forming an adjustable end for adjusting the length of the backer sheet to iit door openings of different widths, said wrapped vertical reinforcing members abutting the side edges of at least one grain car door section as the reinforced sheet-like member of the wood grain car door backer construction is aflixed over the contiguous corner edges of the contiguous grain car door section, and means for securing said reinforced sheet-like member and vertical reinforcing members including the wrapped edges of said reinforced sheet-like member upon the respective reinforcing members to the door posts as the wrapped reinforcing members abut the respective side edges of the grain car door section and the door posts.

2. The combination with a grain car door opening including door posts therefor, of successive conventional wood grain car door sections fabricated in accordance to standard specification and abutted together and against 15 the car floor and aixed to the door posts, awood grain door backer construction overlying the inner face of at least one of said -car door sections, comprising a reinforced sheet-like member including outer plies and an inner ply of crossed strands of glass liber integrally formed together and having the side edges thereof affixed to the car door posts conltiguous to the side edges of the car door sections for sealing the vertical joints between the car door sections and the door posts, and preventing longitudinal movement of the grain door sections and also reinforcing the car door sections against the lateral thrust of the bulk material stored Within the car, and said vertical edges of the reinforced sheet-like member including a vertical reinforcing member about which each edge of the reinforced sheet-like member is wrapped, one edge `thereof forming a fixed end for afxing the backer sheet to the door post, and the other edge thereof forming an adjustable end for adjusting the length of the backer sheet to fit door openings of different widths, said wrapped vertical reinforcing members abutting the side edges of at least one grain car door section as fthe reinforced sheet-like member of the Wood grain car door backer construction is ajxed over the 1 contiguous corner edges of the contiguous grain car door section, and means for securing said reinforced sheet-like member and vertical reinforcing members including the wrapped edges of said reinforced sheet-like member upon the respective reinforcing members to the door posts as the Wrapped reinforcing members abut the respective side edges of the grain car door section and the door posts.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,625 Hummel et al. Jan. 31, 1933 1,903,065 Paget Mar. 28, 1933 2,116,260 Corkran May 3, 1938 2,203,107 Schmitz June 4, 1940 2,293,246 Fay Aug. 18, 1942 2,561,781 Bruce July 24, 1951 2,599,443 Ford et al. June 3, 1952 2,646,117 Hodgkins July 21, 1953 2,653,090 Crandall Sept. 22, 1953 2,689,608 Suess Sept. 21, 1954 2,708,177 Fries et al. May 10, 1955 2,738,006 Suess Mar. 13, 1956 2,803,299 Gerrard et al. Aug. 20, 1957 

2. THE COMBINATION WITH A GRAIN CAR DOOR OPENING INCLUDING DOOR POSTS THEREFOR, OF SUCCESSIVE CONVENTIONAL WOOD GRAIN CAR DOOR SECTIONS FABRICATED IN ACCORDANCE TO STANDARD SPECIFICATION AND ABUTTED TOGETHER AND AGAINST THE CAR FLOOR AND AFFIXED TO THE DOOR POSTS, A WOOD GRAIN DOOR BACKER CONSTRUCTION OVERLYING THE INNER FACE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CAR DOOR SECTIONS, COMPRISING A REINFORCED SHEET-LIKE MEMBER INCLUDING OUTER PLIES AND AN INNER PLY OF CROSSED STRANDS OF GLASS FIBER INTEGRALLY FORMED TOGETHER AND HAVING THE SIDE EDGES THEREOF AFFIXED TO THE CAR DOOR POSTS CONTIGUOUS TO THE SIDE EDGES OF THE CAR DOOR SECTIONS FOR SEALING THE VERTICAL JOINTS BETWEEN THE CAR DOOR SECTIONS AND THE DOOR POSTS, AND PREVENTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE GRAIN DOOR SECTIONS AND ALSO REINFORCING THE CAR DOOR SECTIONS AGAINST THE LATERAL THRUST OF THE BULK MATERIAL STORED WITHIN THE CAR, AND SAID VERTICAL EDGES OF THE REINFORCED SHEET-LIKE MEMBER INCLUDING A VERTICAL REINFORCING MEMBER ABOUT WHICH EACH EDGE OF THE REINFORCED SHEET-LIKE MEMBER IS WRAPPED, ONE EDGE THEREOF FORMING A FIXED END FOR AFFIXING THE BACKER SHEET TO THE DOOR POST, AND THE OTHER EDGE THEREOF FORMING AN ADJUSTABLE END FOR ADJUSTING THE LENGTH OF THE BACKER SHEET TO FIT DOOR OPENINGS OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS, SAID WRAPPED VERTICAL REINFORCING MEMBERS ABUTTING THE SIDE EDGES OF AT LEAST ONE GRAIN CAR DOOR SECTION AS THE REINFORCED SHEET-LIKE MEMBER OF THE WOOD GRAIN CAR DOOR BACKER CONSTRUCTION IS AFFIXED OVER THE SECTION, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID REINFORCED SHEET-LIKE WRAPPED EDGES OF SAID REINFORCED SHEET-LIKE MEMBER UPON THE RESPECTIVE REINFORCING MEMBERS ABUT THE RESPECTIVE SIDE EDGES OF THE GRAIN CAR DOOR SECTION AND THE DOOR POSTS. 